Predictive factors for the sense of community belonging among older adults in lower Northern Thailand

Abstract

Background: Sense of belonging (SOB) is fundamental to our health, social interactions, and psychological functioning. However, older adults usually feel a loss in social belonging. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate factors influencing SOB to the community among older adults in a rural community. Methods: 1,098 older adults were selected using multistage sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire, including demographic characteristics, social support, neighborhood environment, and SOB aspects. To assess the reliability, a correlation coefficient of 0.72 was calculated for social support, neighborhood environment (0.82), and SOB aspects (0.88). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean score of SOB was 50.85 ± 7.44, which is acceptable. The results showed that social support, neighborhood environment, duration of living in the community, and education higher than the fourth grade were positive predictors for the SOB. Conclusions: This study indicated that improving the neighborhood environment and providing social support for rural older adults can enhance their SOB to the community. Also, the duration of living in the community and education have significant impacts on the SOB to the local community.